Gauging apparatus



Aug. 23, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON GAUGING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledNov. 29, 1963 INVENTOR. 0/v A \/0 /A J0/ KZJW w. i

Aug. 23, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,268,074

GAUGING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet IN V EN TOR.-./0/VA// Joy/wad Aug. 23, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON 3,268,074

GAUGING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E INVENTOR' J06!z AA/M50 Aug. 23, 1966 J. R. JOHNSON GAUGING APPARATUS 5 SheetsSheet 5Filed Nov. 29, 1963 INVENTOR. JM A/ e Jam/56w United States Patent3,268,074 GAUGING APPARATUS John R. Johnson, Toledo, ()hio, assignor toOwens-Illinois Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed Nov. '29, 1963, Ser.No. 326,726 30 Claims. (Cl. 209-74) This invention relates to gaugingapparatus and particularly to gauging apparatus wherein articles aremoved successively past an inspection station by a conveyor and arerejected at a point beyond the inspection station in response to areject signal.

It is an object of this invention to provide a gauging apparatus whereinsimple, inexpensive and efficient means is provided for rejecting thearticle at a position beyond the inspection station.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such an apparatuswherein an electrical reject signal created at the inspection stationactuates amechanical memory device at a reject position beyond theinspection station to reject the article when the article has reached areject position. 7

Basically, the apparatus comprises a conveyor that moves the articlessuccessively past an inspection station, gauging means at the inspectionstation which is adapted to produce an electrical reject signal andreject means at a point beyond the inspection station. The electricalsignal produced by the gauging means at the inspection station actuatesa mechanical memory device at the reject station which is operated insynchronism with movement of the conveyor to mechanically move thereject means in proper timed relation to reject the article when thearticle has reached the reject station.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional elevational view of an apparatusembodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 2.

The apparatus is shown and described in connection with the gauging ofhollow glass containers having a neck opening to determine whether ornot the neck opening is of proper size, such gauging beingconventionally known in the art as plug gauging.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the apparatus comprises conveyors 10, 11which are opera-ted continuously at uniform speed to move the bottles Bsuccessively to the left (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5) past a plug gauge mechanismat an inspection station 12. At the inspection station, stop bars 13, 14are moved periodically laterally outwardly into position to stop acontainer at the plug gauge mechanism and space and stop the followingcontainer.

At the inspection station, the gauging mechanism is adapted to be moveddownwardly to gauge the openings in the neck of the containers B. Suchmechanism comprises a vertically reciprocable post 15 on which a crossplate 16 is mounted. Vertical hollow tubes 17 are supported by plate 16.A rod 18 is positioned. in each tube 17 and is provided with a laterallyextending collar 18a at its upper end which engages the upper end oftube 17 to limit the downward movement of the rods. Each rod 17 isformed with a plug gauge 19 at its lower end. A short tube 20 istelescoped over the lower end of each tube 17 and has a flange 21 thatengages a corresponding flange 22 on tube 17 to limit the downwardmovement Patented August 23, 1966 mice of the short tube 20 relative tothe tube 17. The lower end of each short tube 20 is formed with atapered surface 23 that is adapted to engage the exterior of the neck ofthe bottle B.

During gauging, the tubes 17 are lowered by plate 16 to bring thesurfaces 23 of short tubes 20 into engagement with the necks of thebottles B. Continued downward movement of the plate 16 moves the tubes17 and, in turn, the rods 18 downwardly to cause the plugs 19 to engagethe openings in the necks of the bottles B. If the opening is of properdiameter, the plug 19 continues to move downwardly, as shown on the leftin FIG. 5. If, however, the opening is undersized, the plug 19 cannotmove downwardly even though the tube 17 continues to move downwardly.This causes the upper end 18a of rod 18 to move upwardly relative to theroller 24 of a switch 25, as shown on the right in FIG. 5, so that anelectrical signal is produced. This electrical signal is utilized tocondition a mechanical memory device to cause a rejection of the bottleB when it has been moved by the conveyor 11 to a position adjacent areject mechanism, as presently described.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the post 15 is slidably mounted for verticalmovement in a base 26 and has a roller 27 at the lower end thereof whichengages the periphery of a cam 28 fixed on a shaft 29 which isjournalled in the base 26. The shaft 29 is connect-ed by a coupling St)to the shaft 31 of a motor 32. As shown in FIG. 5, the cam 28 has adepressed portion 33 and as the cam rotates, the post 15 is raised andlowered, in turn, raising and lowering the plate 16 and tubes 17 androds 18 supported by plate 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reject mechanism includes reject arms 35a, 35badjacent each of the conveyors 10, 11 which are adapted to be movedlaterally at the proper time to eject a container B. Each of the rejectarms 35a, 35b is controlled by a mechanical memory device that isconditioned by the electrical switch 25 which is operated by the pluggauge unit on its respective conveyor.

Referring to FIG. 4, reject arm 35:: is mounted on a slide 36a that ismovable laterally in a horizontal slideway or opening 37 in the base 26.A compression spring 38, interposed between the slide 36a and the base26, yield ingly urges the slide and, in turn, the reject member 35a intoreject position. A detent plunger 39 extending vertically downwardlythrough an opening 40 in the base 26 normally engages an opening 41 inthe slide 36a to hold and lock the slide 36a out of reject position. Thedetent 39 is yieldingly urged into holding position by either a spring42 of a solenoid 43 or by its own weight.

Solenoid 43 is energized by an electrical reject signal from the switch25 to withdraw the detent 39, permitting the spring 38 to urge the slide36a toward reject position. However, since the bottle B, which hasproduced the reject signal, is not in position for rejection, it isdesirable to control the movement of the slide 36 a so that it will onlymove into reject position when the conveyor 11 has brought the bottleinto proper position adjacent reject member 35a.

In order to achieve this, a cam 44 is fixed on the shaft 29 and theperiphery of the cam is engaged by a roller 45 on a vertical slide 46which is movable upwardly and downwardly in a vertical slideway 47 inthe base 26. Vertical slide 46 has a cam follower roller 48 thereonwhich engages an inclined surface 49 on the horizontal slide 36a. Thecam 44 includes a high portion 50 and a depressed portion 51 (FIG. 1)and is driven in synchronisrn with the conveyor.

A spring yieldingly urges roller 45 on vertical slide 46 against theperiphery of cam 44. Whenthe plug rods 17 are in lowered bottleinspecting position, the cam 44 is in position so that the high portion50 engages and 3 holds the vertical slide 46 in its upper position(FIG. 1) with the roller 48 engaging the surface 49 and holding theslide 36a in retracted position. Thus, even if an electrical rejectsignal is produced by switch 25 to retract detent 39, the roller 48engages the surface 49 and prevents the spring 38 from forcing the slide36a to reject position. However, as the cam 44 continues to rotate andthe conveyor 11 carries the bottle out of the inspection station to areject position adjacent the reject arm 35a, the vertical slide 46reaches the depressed portion 51 of cam 44 and the roller 48 begins tomove downwardly, permitting the slide 3611 to move to the left, as shownin FIG. 4. This movement is controlled until the bottle B has reached aposition adjacent the reject arm 35a in which position the reject arm35a finally moves laterally outwardly (FIG. 4) to reject the bottle B.Continued rotation of cam 44 causes vertical slide 46 to move upwardlyto retract the horizontal slide 3611 and the reject member 35a to aposition where the detent 39 enters the opening 41 -to lock thehorizontal slide 36a and reject member out of reject position.

Reject member 35b is operated and controlled in a manner similar toreject member 35a. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, reject member 35b ismounted on a slide 3612 movable laterally in a horizontal slideway inthe base 26. Slide 36b is yieldingly urged outwardly relative to theconveyor to move the reject arm 35b into reject position by a spring inthe same manner as spring 38 urge-s slide 36a outwardly, the springhaving been omitted for purposes of clarity. A detent plunger 39bcontrolled by a solenoid 43b is yieldingly urged by a spring (not shown)into an opening in the slide 36b to lock the slideway out of rejectposition. When switch 25, which overlies conveyor 10, is energized, thesolenoid 43b is energized to withdraw detent 39b so that the slide 36bis urged outwardly by its spring. The movement of the slide 36b isthereafter controlled in timed relation by a second roller 4817 onvertical slide 46 which engages an inclined surface 4% (FIG. 4) on thehorizontal slide 36b to control the movement of the horizontal slide 36band, in turn, the reject member 35b against the action of its spring,and

to return them to retracted position, in the same manner as previouslydescribed above with reference to slide 36a and reject member 35a.

The movement of the stop bars 13, 14 is in timed relation to themovement of the plug gauges 19 and the reject arms 35a, 35b by anarrangement which includes a cam 55 on the shaft 29. As shown in FIG. 6,the stop bars 13, 14 are mounted on a common bar 56 which is, in turn,supported on slides 57 that are mounted for horizontal movement in anopening 58. Each slide 57 is yieldingly urged outwardly relative to thebase 26 by a spring 59. Vertical slide 60 is yieldingly urged downwardlyinto engagement with the periphery of the cam 55 by a spring 63. Cam 55is shaped to periodically raise and lower a vertical slide 60 byengagement of a roller 61 on slide 60 with the periphery of the cam 55.Vertical slide 60, in turn, supports rollers 61a which engage inclinedsurface 62 on the slides 57 to move the slides 57 and, in turn, the stopbars 13, 14 periodically inwardly and outwardly so that the stop barsmove into the path of the containers and momentarily interrupt theirmovements. Stop bar 13 stops a container in proper position below a plug19 while stop bar 14 spaces the following container so that it will bein substantially correct position for gauging when the conveyors bringit to the inspection station. The spacing between bars 13, 14 issubstantially equal to the spacing between the reject members 35a, 35band the respective plugs 19 at the inspection station.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided an apparatus which isactuated by an electrical reject signal to provide a controlled timedmechanical movement of a reject means to reject the defective articlewhen it reaches the reject station and to return the reject means to itsretracted position.

I claim:

1. In a gauging apparatus, the combination comprising conveyor means formoving articles to be inspected into and out of position at aninspection station, means at said inspection station for inspecting anarticle and creating an electrical signal in response to a failure ofthe article to meet a predetermined standard,

reject means positioned at a reject station beyond said inspectionstation and adapted to move said article off the conveyor means,

means mechanically holding said reject means in retracted position,

said last-mentioned means being responsive to an electrical signal fromsaid gauging means to release said reject means,

and means mechanically operated in synchronism with said conveyor meansand said gauging means for moving said reject means into reject positionwhen an article has been moved by the conveyor means into position atsaid reject station,

said last-mentioned means being operable to return said reject means toits retracted position where it is held by said holding means,

said reject means including a reject member,

and spring means yieldingly urging said reject member toward said rejectposition.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for holdingsaid reject member in retracted position comprises a detent,

said reject member having an opening into which said detent extends.

: 3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said holding meanscomprises a solenoid which in one operative position causes said detentto engage said opening and in another operative position in response tosaid electrical signal causes said detent to move out of engagement withsaid opening in said reject member.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said mechanicallyoperated means comprises a cam operated in synchronism-with said gaugingmeans and said conveyor means,

and a cam follower engaging said cam and said reject member to controlthe movement of said reject member when said holding means releases saidreject member in response to an electrical signal.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said articles compriseglass containers and said inspecting means comprises a plug gauge,

and means operated in synchronism wvith said conveyor for periodicallymoving said plug gauge downwardly and upwardly toward and away from theopening in the neck of the container at the inspection station.

6. The combination set forth in claim 1 including means operated insynchronism with said mechanically operated means for rnomentarliyinterrupting the movement of a container at said inspection station.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises a cam operated in synchronism with said gauging means,

a cam follower engaging said cam,

and means operated by said cam follower for moving periodically into andout of the path of said containers on said conveyor means.

8. In a gauging apparatus, the combination comprising a conveyor formoving articles to be inspected successively to an inspection station,

gauging means at said inspection station for successively inspectingsaid articles,

electrical sensing means for producing an electrical signal when anarticle fails to meet a predetermined standard,

a first slide having reject means thereon,

means for mounting said first slide adjacent said conveyor beyond saidinspection station for movement of said reject means laterally of theconveyor to move an article off the conveyor,

means for urging said first slide yieldingly toward reject :position,

means for holding said first slide out of reject position and forreleasing said slide,

a second slide,

means for guiding said second slide for movement toward and away fromsaid first slide,

a cam rotated in synchronism with said gauging means and said conveyor,

a cam follower on said second slide engaging said cam,

means responsive to said electrical signal to release said holdingmeans, and means on said second slide engaging said first slide andcontrolling the movement of said first slide to .reject position when itis released by said holding means in such a manner that the reject meansmoves into reject position when the article which has produced theelectrical signal has been moved by the conveyor to a position adjacentthe reject means,

said engaging and controlling means being operable to return said firstslide into position for engagement by said holding means.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for holdingsaid first slide out of reject position comprises a detent plunger,

said first slide having an opening into which said detent plungerextends.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said means forreleasing said holding means comprises a solenoid operatively connectedto said detent plunger.

11. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said means on saidsecond slide engaging said first slide comprises a cam follower on saidsecond slide,

said first slide having a cam surface which is engaged by said roller.

12. The combination set forth in claim 11 wherein said cam surface onsaid first slide is inclined outwardly in the direction of movement ofthe slide to reject position.

13. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said means for movingsaid second slide comprises a circular cam.

14. The combination set forth in claim 8 including a stop member,

a third slide,

a stop bar on said third slide,

means for yieldingly urging said third slide and said stop bar intoposition for interrupting the movement of a container on said conveyor,

a fourth slide,

means for guiding said fourth slide for movement toward and away fromsaid third slide,

a cam rotatedin synchronism with said gauging means and said conveyor,

and means on said fourth slide engaging said third slide and controllingthe movement of said thirdslide and in turn said stop member into andout of the path of said containers. 15. In a gauging apparatus, thecombination comprismg a conveyor for moving articles to be inspectedsuccessively through an inspection station,

gauging means at said inspection station for successively inspectingsaid article,

electrical sensing means for producing an electrical signal when thearticle fails to meet a predetermined standard,

a horizontal slide having reject means thereon, means for mounting saidslide adjacent said conveyor for horizontal movement of said rejectmeans laterally of the conveyor to move an article off the conveyor,spring means for urging said horizontal slide yieldingly toward rejectposition, said horizontal slide having an opening therein into whichsaid plunger extends to hold said horizontal slide out of rejectposition, a vertical slide, means for guiding said vertical slide formovement upwardly and downwardly, a cam rotated in synchronism with saidgauging means and said conveyor, means responsive to said electricalsignal to release said plunger, said horizontal slide having a surfaceinclined upwardly and outwardly, and means on said vertical slideengaging the inclined surface of said horizontal slide and controllingthe movement of said horizontal slide to reject position when it isreleased by retraction of said plunger in such a manner that the rejectmeans moves into reject position when the article which has produced theelectrical signal has been moved by the conveyor to a position adjacentthe reject means. 16. In a gauging apparatus, the combination comprismga pair of conveyors for moving articles to be inspected successivelythrough inspection stations, gauging means at each inspection stationadjacent each conveyor for successively inspecting said articles,electrical sensing means individual to each said gauging means forproducing an electrical signal when the article fails to meet apredetermined standard, a pair of horizontal slides, reject means oneach said slide, means for mounting each said slide adjacent itsrespective conveyor for horizontal movement of said reject meanslaterally of its respective conveyor to move an article off theconveyor, means for urging said horizontal slide yieldingly towardreject position, means for holding each said horizontal slide out ofreject position, a vertical slide, means for guiding said vertical slidefor movement upwardly and downwardly, a cam rotated in synchronism withsaid gauging means and said conveyors, means responsive to saidelectrical signal to release said holding means, each said horizontalslide having a surface inclined upwardly and outwardly, and means onsaid vertical slide engaging the inclined surfaces of said horizontalslides and controlling the movement of each said horizontal slide toreject position when it is released by said holding means in such amanner that the reject means moves into reject position when the articlewhich has produced the signal has been moved by the conveyor to aposition adjacent the reject means. 17. In a gauging apparatus, thecombination comprismg a conveyor for moving glass containers to beinspected successively to an inspection station, gauging means at saidinspection station for successively inspecting said glass containerscomprising a plug gauge movable in synchronism with said conveyor towardand away from the opening in the neck of the container,

electrical sensing means for producing an electrical a first slidehaving reject means thereon,

means for mounting said first slide adjacent said conveyor beyond saidinspection station for movement of said reject means later-ally of theconveyor to move a glass container off the conveyor,

means for urging said first slide yieldingly toward reject position,

a second slide,

means for guiding said second slide for movement toward and away fromsaid first slide,

a cam rotated in synchronism with said gauging means and said conveyor,

a cam follower on said second slide engaging said cam,

means responsive to said electrical signal to release said holdingmeans,

and means on said second slide engaging said first slide and controllingthe movement of said first slide to reject position when it is releasedby said holding means in such a manner that the reject means moves intoreject position when the glass container which has produced theelectrical signal has been moved by the conveyor to a position adjacentthe reject means,

said engaging and controlling means being operable to return saidhorizontal slide into position for engagement by said holding means.

18. For use in a gauging apparatus wherein a conveyor moves articles tobe inspected into and out of gauging position at an inspection stationand means at said inspection station inspects the article and creates anelectrical signal in response to a failure of the article to meet apredetermined standard, the combination comprising reject means adaptedto be positioned at a point beyond said inspection station and adaptedto move said article off the conveyor means,

means mechanically holding said reject means in retracted position,

said last-mentioned means being responsive to an electrical signal fromsaid gauging means to release said reject means, and means mechanicallyadapted to be operated in synchronism with said conveyor and saidgauging means for moving said reject means into reject position when thearticle has been moved by the conveyor means into position beyond saidinspection station,

said last-mentioned means being operable to return said reject means toit retracted position where it is held by said holding means,

said reject means including a reject member,

and spring means yieldingly urging said reject member toward said rejectposition.

19. The combination set forth in claim 18 wherein said means for holdingsaid reject member in retracted position comprises a detent,

said reject member having an opening into which said detent extends.

20. The combination set forth in claim 19 wherein said holding meanscomprises a solenoid which in one operative position causes said detentto engage said opening and in another operative position in response tosaid electrical signal causes said detent to move out of engagement withsaid opening in said reject member.

21. The combination set forth in claim 18 wherein said mechanicallyoperated means comprises a cam operated in synchronism with said gaugingmeans and said conveyor means,

and a cam follower engaging said cam and said reject member to controlthe movement of said reject member when said holding mean releases saidreject member in response to an electrical signal.

22. For use in a gauging apparatus wherein a conveyor moves articles tobe inspected successively into and out of an inspection station andgauging means at said inspection station inspect the article and createan electrical signal when the article fails to meet a predeterminedstandard, the combination comprising a first slide having reject meansthereon, means for mounting said first slide adjacent said conveyor formovement of said reject means laterally of the conveyor to move anarticle off the conveyor,

means for urging said first slide yieldingly toward reject position,

means for holding said first slide out of reject position and forreleasing said slide,

a second slide,

means for guiding said second slide for movement toward and away fromsaid first slide,

a cam adapted to be rotated in synchronism with said gauging means andsaid conveyor,

means responsive to said electrical signal to release said holdingmeans,

and means on said second slide engaging said first slide and controllingthe movement of said first slide to reject position when it is releasedby said holding means in such a manner that the reject means moves intoreject position when the article which has produced the electricalsignal has been moved by the conveyor to a position adjacent the rejectmeans and said engaging and controlling means returns said first slideinto position for engagement by said holding means.

23. The combination set :forth in claim 22 wherein said means forholding said first slide out of reject position comprises a detentplunger,

said first slide having an opening into which said detent plungerextends,

and a solenoid operatively connected to said plunger and adapted to beenergized by said electrical reject signal. 24. The combination setforth in claim 23 wherein said means on said vertical slide comprises acam follower on said vertical slide and a cam surface on said horizontalslide.

25. In a gauging apparatus, the combination comprising conveyor meansfor moving articles to be inspected into and out of position at aninspection station,

means at said inspection station for inpsecting an article and creatingan electrical signal in response to a failure of the article to meet apredetermined standard,

reject means positioned at a reject station beyond said inspectionstation and adapted to move said article off the conveyor means, saidreject means being responsive to an electrical signal to move saidarticle off the conveyor means,

and mechanical memory means cyclically operable continuously insynchronism with said conveyor means and said gauging means to permitmovement of said reject means to move an article off the conveyor meansonly at timed intervals with respect to the movement of said conveyormeans,

said last-mentioned means being operable to prevent movement of saidreject means when said reject means recieves said electrical signalexcept at said predetermined timed intervals. 26. In a gaugingapparatus, the combination comprising conveyor means for moving articlesto be inspected into and out of position at an inspection station,

means at said inspection station for inspecting an article and creatingan electrical signal in response to a failure of the article to meet apredetermined standard,

reject means positioned at a reject station beyond said inspectionstation and adapted to move said article off the conveyor means,

means mechanically holding said reject means in retracted position,

said last-mentioned means being responsive to an electrical signal fromsaid gauging means to release said reject means,

and mechanical memory means operated in synchronism with said conveyormeans and said gauging means for holding said reject means againstmovement into reject position except at predetermined timed intervalscorresponding to the movement of the article which has been inspectedinto position at said reject station.

27. The combination set forth in claim 26 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises cam means operated in synchronism with said conveyormeans and said gauging means and a cam follower engaging said cam meansand said reject means to control the movement of said reject member andpermit the movement of said reject member int-o reject position only inresponse to an electrical signal and only at predetermined intervals.

28. For use in a gauging apparatus wherein a conveyor moves articles tobe inspected into and out of gauging position at an inspection stationand means at said inspection station inspects the article and creates anelectrical signal in response to a failure of the article to meet apredetermined standard, the combination comprising reject means adaptedto be positioned at a reject signal station beyond said inspectionstation and adapted to move said article oil? the conveyor means,

said reject means being responsive to an electrical signal to move saidarticle off the conveyor means,

and mechanical memory means cyclically operable continuously insynchronism with said conveyor means and said gauging means to permitmovement of said reject means to move an article oif the conveyor meansonly at timed intervals with respect to the movement of said conveyormeans,

said last-mentioned means being operable to prevent movement of saidreject means when said reject means receives said electrical signalexcept at said predetermined timed intervals.

29. For use in gauging apparatus wherein a conveyor moves articles to beinspected into and out of gauging position at an inspection station andmeans at said inspection station inspects the article and creates anelectrical signal in response to a failure of the article to meet apredetermined standard, the combination comprising reject means adaptedto be positioned at a reject signal station'beyond said inspectionstation and adapted to move said article ofl the conveyor means, meansmechanically holding said reject means in retracted position,

said last-mentioned means being responsive to an electrical signal fromsaid gauging means to release said reject means,

and mechanical memory means operated in synchronism with said conveyormeans and said gauging means for holding said reject means againstmovement into reject position except at predetermined timed intervalscorresponding to the movement of the article which has been inspectedinto position at said reject station.

30. The combination set forth in claim 29 wherein said last-mentionedmeans comprises cam means operated in synchronism with said conveyormeans and said gauging means and a cam follower engaging said cam meansand said reject means to control the movement of said reject member andpermit the movement of said reject member into reject position only inresponse to an electrical signal and only at predetermined intervals.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,411,169 3/1922Ehrman 2097=2 2,115,032 4/1938 Miller.

2,759,600 8/1956 Saylor 209-74 X 2,987,179 6/ 1961 Allgeyer 209-74 X3,100,570 8/1963 White 209-82 3,207,307 9/1965 Means 20974 0 M. HENSONWOOD, 111., Primary Examiner.

J. N. ER-LIOH, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A GAUGING APPARATUS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING CONVEYOR MEANS FORMOVING ARTICLES TO BE INSPECTED INTO AND OUT OF POSITION AT ANINSPECTION STATION, MEANS AT SAID INSPECTION STATION FOR INSPECTING ANARTICLE AND CREATING AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL IN RESPONSE TO A FAILURE OFTHE ARTICLE TO MEET A PREDETERMINED STANDARD, REJECT MEANS POSITIONED ATA REJECT STATION BEYOND SAID INSPECTION STATION AND ADAPTED TO MOVE SAIDARTICLE OFF THE CONVEYOR MEANS, MEANS MECHANICALLY HOLDING SAID REJECTMEANS IN RETRACTED POSITION, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS BEING RESPONSIVETO AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL FROM SAID GAUGING MEANS TO RELEASE SAID REJECTMEANS, AND MEANS MECHANICALLY OPERATED IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SAID CONVEYORMEANS AND SAID GAUGING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID REJECT MEANS INTO REJECTPOSITION WHEN AN ARTICLE HAS BEEN MOVED BY THE CONVEYOR MEANS INTOPOSITION AT SAID REJECT STATION, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS BEINGOPERABLE TO RETURN SAID REJECT MEANS TO ITS RETRACTED POSITION WHERE ITIS HELD BY SAID HOLDING MEANS, SAID REJECT MEANS INCLUDING A REJECTMEMBER, AND SPRING MEANS YIELDINGLY URGING SAID REJECT MEMBER TOWARDSAID REJECT POSITION.